Technical challenges to deliver sensor-based psychological interventions using smartphones

Abstract

Research in the development of tools to successfully deliver psychological interventions through smartphones is growing rapidly. As the research body grows towards more cutting-edge solutions that utilize the smartphone’s advanced technical capabilities, various challenges are uncovered to successfully and efficiently deliver safe interventions in critical scenarios and situations. We present the SyMptOMS platform, a configurable set of tools that allows therapists to specify, deploy and follow-up location- and sensor-based assessments and interventions for various mental disorders, run and delivered remotely via the patient’s smartphone at any place (ecological) and time (momentarily). From our experience in developing and running experiments with SyMptOMS, we overview and discuss technical challenges and open research questions involved in sensor-based interventions using smartphones.